Just finished watching a DVD from “AK Interactive” by Mig Jimenez. (Do believe that means Vallejo.) Title is “Enamel Weathering Techniques.” Includes tips on all of the usual suspects: filters, washes, fading, streaks, mud, grease stains etc. Get this: the entire weathering process is done without touching a pigment. Not a bit of chalk dust. And naturally no MIG products. Instead of pigments you use some washes, filters etc already prepared by AK or use an AK thinner with artist oils. (They recommend white spirit for oils - I’ve always used turpenoid. That’s what I get for going to Blick.)
The DVD implies that the work done is by Mig and the gent certainly can make a model. This has given yours truly another headache because I’ve been extremely impressed with pigments and am really interested in learning more. Logic tells me that one of three things are at work 1) a good modeler can make a good model using about anything, so get good and pick your weapon; 2) the enamel approach is correct and pigments are, if nothing else, time wasting (great deal of emphasis on the enamel way being the easiest); 3) maybe a little capitalism at work with a new company (AK) poaching on an old one (MIG) and even prodded by a little bad blood? (MIG gets its name from Mig Jimenez and I gather he left the company not completely happy). Any ideas here? Should I take my Doc Martins, a couple sets of artist pastels and a growing collection of MIG pigments and give them to homeless modelers?
The simple answer is that pigments are just another tool in the arsenal. They are one, among many, of the available products and techniques that can be employed depending on the effects you are after. A skilled modeler can take full advantage of the spectrum and create their own finish/result. Try and adapt, that’s my motto. When something works for me I tend to stick with it vs. looking for the “one true way” as it doesn’t really exist…that’s the beauty of the hobby. [;)] Pigments have their place just as washes, filters, etc. have their place. [B]
Powders became popular not too long ago, before we had inks, washes, etc like the Gunze Weathering Set, etc.
Looking at the Tamiya weathering sets for an examle:
One of their sets contains powders to heat-stain exhausts, etc. They work well and for many that didn’t know how to create the same effect using clear colours it did open up a new range of techniques.
David Fisher refers to Pastels as the poor mans Airbrush. Not a slight just a different material to get the same effect.
It’s really just the golden age of modeling.All of the competition between the different schools of thoughts just gives us more and more options.We can experiment and pick one that suits our tastes and abilities,or pick more then one depending on the job.So don’t look at it as a headache,but as more choices.
Ditto on the above; they’re both tools to be used as you see fit. Personally I use both for various effects, and do not see one taking precedence over the other. In some instances, particularly in track weathering, pigments just seem to give a far better effect. The same holds true for enamels as applied to filters, washes, etc.